


Just Another Day

by draca (wyvernwolf)



Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-14
Updated: 2011-05-14
Packaged: 2017-10-19 09:24:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/199338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyvernwolf/pseuds/draca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Valentine's Day is just a big pile of rubbish. It might have started out with the right intentions but it’s been turned into a commercial event for the sake of profit.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Another Day

Sam flicked the small heart-shaped _thing_ decorating the bar with a sigh of irritation. He couldn't even escape it here! A quick look around confirmed that he was still surrounded by the reminders of what the day was and he let out another sigh. He was sick and tired of all the fuss and he just wanted it to be over already.

He stared morosely into his pint, trying to ignore the happy chatter surrounding him when an elbow roughly jostled him, nearly tipping him off his stool and interrupting his brooding.

"Oi!" he barked out, his already simmering annoyance bubbling free. "Watch what you're doing, mate!" He bit out before realising who it was standing next to him with a smirk on his face. Repressing the sigh that was coming out, he gruffly acknowledged his superior officer with a curt nod before turning back to his pint and trying to ignore the other man. He knew it was rude but he just wasn't in the mood to deal with his DCI right now.

He should've known that Gene wouldn't take the blunt hint.

"So, what's got your knickers in a twist?" Came the question as Gene settled into the stool next to him, thumping his own glass down.

"Nothing. 'S just been a long day."

"Hmm." Gene made a big production of looking round. "All alone then?"

Sam frowned. "What's it to you?"

"Well, just thought that what with it being Valentine's Day and all you'd be out with one of your myriad adoring fans."

"Myriad adoring fans?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow. "And since when have you cared about Valentine's Day? Last year you called it a bunch of crap and banned anyone from mentioning it in your presence."

"And I’m right. It is a bunch of crap. All the flowers and hearts. Makes me break out in hives. Anyway, you're the big fairy that's always on about being in touch with your inner poof. Would've thought that this was the right up your alley," This statement was accompanied by a not so subtle nudge to Sam's side and a big leering wink before Gene continued, "What with all the chocolates, flowers and other bloody froo-froo shit."

"Well, you're wrong. 'S just another day. Valentine's Day is just a big pile of rubbish. It might have started out with the right intentions but it’s been turned into a commercial event for the sake of profit. Look around you,"he said, gesturing at the red, pink and white decorations with the hand holding his glass and sloshing beer over the side and onto his hand. "Even Nelson's fallen for it, for Chrissakes! I mean, this is a pub. The last manly bastion where we're supposed to be able to relax and escape but instead we're surrounded by hearts and fluffy fucking angels." This last bit was snorted in disgust.

"A way for business to make money. That's all it is. I mean, if you really cared someone, why would you wait for this one day of all the year to spend time with them and show them you love or care for them? Why not show them the whole year round? Go out with 'em, drinks, dinner. No need to wait for this one single day!"

He punctuated his rant by draining nearly half of his beer in one long swallow before slamming the glass back on the bar. A snort and soft chuckle had him turning to an amused looking Gene.

"Are you even listening to a word I say, Guv?"

Gene grinned at him. "Sure I am, Sammy-boy. Valentine's Day is a bunch of old bollocks. Right?"

"Exactly!" Sam grinned back and clinked their glasses together before taking another drink and motioning Nelson for another round.

They lapsed back into silence, each staring into their glasses as if they held the answers to the mysteries of the universe. There must have been something about them that warned everyone off as no one bothered them but around them things continued as normal. Chris waved his goodbyes and sidled out, damp hands fiddling with a small beribboned box and not long after, Ray swaggered out leaving a trail of boasts and sniggering colleagues behind him. Their leaving must have been a signal as everyone started slowly exiting the pub in ones or twos, each chattering away about their plans for the evening, until there was only a handful of people left behind.

Sam and Gene stayed where they were, steadily accumulating a number of empty glasses in front of them.

With an economy of movement that Sam envied, Gene flicked his fingers and like magic, two filled shot glasses mysteriously appeared on the scarred bench in front of them.

Sam looked down in bemusement when Gene nudged one over to him.

"You buying me a drink, Gene?"

This elicited the now familiar eyeroll and put upon sigh.

"Shut up and drink your scotch like a good boy, Gladys."

Sam chuckled before doing as he was told and draining the glass. He sighed when he finished and clunked the glass onto the table.

"Well, looks like it's time for me to head off."

He got up rather unsteadily from his stool, pausing when the movement caused everything to tilt around him.

"Shit. I think I had a bit too much to drink," he said with a laugh, and leaned against the bar, waiting for the room to stop moving. "Definitely time to go home," he added.

Next to him, Gene slammed down the rest of his drink and stood. "What you need," he declared as he dug around his pockets for his lighter, "is to get some food into you. Come on, I know a good place not far from here that does a mean spaghetti."

"Spaghetti?" Sam asked. He silently questioned his stomach and got his answer when it rumbled. He looked up with a grin, "Sure!"

Gene clapped him on the back, nearly sending him flying. "Right, then. Let's go. I'm so hungry, my stomach's going to start eating itself."

Saying their goodbyes to Nelson, they both wandered out the front door, gasping slightly when hit by the cold night air.

Feeling a bit more alert, Sam wrapped his jacket tightly around himself and gently bumped Gene's shoulder with his own. "Walking? Or we taking the Cortina?"

Gene yanked on his gloves and took a deep breath. "Walk," he said decisively. "It'll clear our heads a bit. Now get those skinny legs moving, Sam and stop shilly-shallying about." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "and I'm buying so start deciding now what you want to eat."

"You're buying?" Sam missed a step and nearly tripped over his own feet. It was only Gene's quick reaction grabbing his elbow that stopped him from having a rather embarrassing spill.

"Bloody Norah, Tyler," Gene said, the amusement clear in his voice. "How many did you knock back?"

Sam brushed Gene's hand away as he straightened up. "'M fine, 'm fine." He muttered trying to ignore the blush he could feel rising on his face. "Just tripped," he added. He must've had more to drink than he thought. They continued on for another few steps, Sam lifting and placing his feet with especial care, when he remembered what Gene had said. His now slightly more alert brain added two and two and came up with five.

"Gene," he asked suspiciously. "This a date?"

Gene snorted. "In your dreams, Sammy-boy.”

"You can hardly blame me for asking,” Sam protested. “It is Valentine's Day and you just asked me to have dinner with you... after you bought me drinks!” He pointed a not very steady finger in Gene’s face.

"Tyler, we have been to dinner together before," Gene’s tone was that of someone talking to an especially dim-witted child.

"Well, yes."

"And we have drinks together nearly every night."

"I'm not arguing with that."

"And I do occasionally pay for them."

"Very occasionally," Sam felt obliged to point out. "Very, very occasionally."

"So, why are you acting like a delicate flower about it today?"

"I'm not acting like a delicate flower! 'S just the timing that's a bit weird. What with it being the day for lovers and everyone pairing off like Noah's Ark. Now you're asking me out to dinner."

"Something which I have done before. You know, the timing isn't the weird thing here. Weird is how your bloody brain works. Weird and downright peculiar. Who gives a toss what day it is? We had a few drinks, now I'm hungry and you're hungry and we're going to get something to stop ourselves being hungry. Simple concept, Sam," Gene huffed as he lit up a cigarette. "Now, we going or are we going to stand around, freezing our arses off whilst you try and get that screwy brain of yours to understand the concept of something normal like eating?"

Sam sneaked a look at Gene and was a bit surprised that instead of the annoyance he'd been expecting, the look on Gene's face was more... well, fond, than anything else. Fond and surprisingly patient considering how annoyed he sounded.

A repeat of his words to Gene in the pub earlier suddenly echoed in his head and made Sam take another look at the man standing semi-patiently beside him, this time taking into consideration what wasn’t being said into account as well. And to his surprise it was remarkably easy to remember similar scenes of them heading off for a late-night curry or pasta after a few shared drinks.

Suddenly, the day didn’t seem to be an utter loss. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Sam gave Gene a wide grin. One that must have looked a bit on the insane side if the way Gene took a cautious step away was anything to go by.

"We've been going out for a lot of drinks and meals together haven't we?" Sam asked, still bouncing but unable to stop himself.

A wary look crossed Gene's face. "Yes," he replied cautiously.

"And we spend a lot of time together, don't we?"

"Has it somehow escaped your notice, Mr State-The-Bleeding-Obvious, that we do work together? A bit hard not to spend time together. Now, are you finished with your blathering?"

"Mates that don't need to wait for one specific day," Sam said. His grin by this time was so wide he could feel his face starting to ache. Gene's face on the other hand was starting to resemble a thundercloud.

"Tyler... I'm warning you, you're testing my patience here."

Sam bounced on his toes one more time before clapping Gene on the back.

"Well, come on then. What are you standing around in the cold for? Let's go. I'm starving!" He said and waved at Gene to precede him.

Gene took one final drag of his cigarette before letting the butt fall to the ground. He ground it out with tip of his loafer, all the while glaring at Sam.

"You're lucky I'm too cold and hungry to bother about giving you a swift kick up your skinny backside, Tyler," he growled.

Sam just grinned at him until Gene let out a reluctant laugh and poked Sam in the chest with one gloved finger.

"Only you, Sam Tyler, could turn going out for some spaghetti into such a production," he said.

Sam just continued grinning at him. "Shut up, Gene. And come on. I thought you were starving?" He said and having anticipated it, easily evaded the large hand attempting to cuff him on his head. Laughing, he skipped a few steps away before slowing down to let Gene catch up.

They walked in a companionable silence for another few minutes before Sam spoke again.

"You're still buying, you know. And since it is Valentine's Day, I expect flowers to go with my dinner," he said, casting a quick grin at the man beside him.

Gene snorted, and then with that swiftness that still left Sam off balance, hooked his arm around Sam's neck, pulled him down and ruffled his hair before Sam pushed him off with a laugh.

They were still laughing as they fell into a familiar and comfortable rhythm, banter flying between them and their steps eating up the ground in perfect unison.

And if Sam leaned ever so slightly into Gene's comforting bulk, Gene didn't say a word at the invasion of his personal space. He just nudged back gently whenever Sam brushed against him.

-Fin-


End file.
